Cup It Up Fails Tucson’s Ideological Litmus Test For Businesses

Tucsonans are asking if conservative business owners can survive in town after a restaurant, Cup It Up, was forced to close its doors due to threats the owners received in response to a Facebook post in support of President Donald Trump.

Tucson, the fifth poorest metropolitan area in the country, has earned a reputation as inflexible and intolerant. That reputation has kept the area from experiencing the recovery from which the rest of the state and country has benefited since the end of the Great Recession.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, “the restaurant was the target of endless harassing and threatening phone calls throughout the weekend following Friday’s Facebook post. Two employees quit Saturday because of the calls and several more quit throughout the weekend.”

Zaira Livier was only eight years old when her life changed forever. Visiting the U.S. with her mother — who returned to Mexico — and brother from Querétaro, Mexico, via Nogales, this particular time was different from past visits. When they initially tried to cross, her mother and a border guard got into an argument. The guard destroyed her mother’s visa as a result. After several unsuccessful visa-less attempts to cross to attend a funeral, the woman’s aunt — who was born in the U.S. — joined the trio to help and had a brilliant idea. She dressed her niece and nephew in nice outfits, gave each juice to carry, and taught them to say, “U.S. citizen.” After extensive practice, the group of four nonchalantly walked across the urban border crossing. “U.S. citizen,” each announced with confidence, without missing a step. It worked.

Zaira Livier is now 30. Her mother, now back in Mexico, never meant for her children to stay in the U.S., but, as debates on immigration make clear, maneuvering life as an undocumented person is no walk in the park. Living in the shadows is sometimes the most viable option.

She pretended that her aunt was her mother and she learned to hide when the migra truck made its rounds in South Tucson, where she still lives.

“We were little, confused, and not sure who they were there for. It’s a very scary feeling,” Livier recalls, now a resident and student of neuroscience at the University of Arizona recalls. “I tip my hat to anyone who lives with that fear his whole life. It’s no way to live.”

Livier only had to live with that fear for about four years. At about the age of 13 she became a U.S. resident. Today, Livier is not afraid of leaving the shadows. She is a politically active feminist Bernie Sanders supporter who hopes to become a citizen to vote in the fast-approaching presidential elections in November. She hasn’t applied for citizenship yet because of a lack of money.

A review of Arizona’s voter registry shows that a person with the name Zaira Livier is not currently registered to vote in Arizona.

Another Tucson activist and immigrant, Pat Sexton, appeared on the James T. Harris show on Monday and compared what happened to Cup It Up to “The Disappeared” from her native Guatemala. Sexton, a U.S. citizen, who describes herself as a “very grateful adopted American, told Harris that she was a “hairs breath away from being a “disappeared.” She described how a truck came between her and her son and kidnappers “because I was involved in something somebody didn’t like and I think that was the Lord protecting me.”

“We did not have the rule of law in Guatamala, we didn’t have equal justice under the law and it was whoever has the biggest guns, or the biggest truck, or the most amount of money, or the most influence with people in high places that rule and I am so sad to see that our country is going down that way too.”

Other business owners do not dare come out in defense of Cup It Up. However, one business owner used the misfortune of Cup It Up to promote his own business on Livier’s Facebook page. K.G. Alexander of Ken’s Hardwood Barbecue posted: “AS I TOLD YOU A FEW DAYS AGO THEY WOULDN’T LAST LONG Zaira Livier POLITICAL VIEWS AND AGENDAS SHOULD HAVE NO PART IN YOUR BUSINESS.”

Moments later he posted: “BUT HEY ANYWAYS COME GET SOME GREAT BBQ FROM US AT Ken’s Hardwood Barbecue.”

The campaign against Cup It Up was short but powerful. In just days the business closed its doors.

“Absent from this whole fiasco are the City of Tucson Mayor and Council, who let the intimidation of small business owners go unchecked as Tucson slides further and further down the poverty scale, its no wonder we are viewed as the laughing stock of the nation,” said a Hispanic community leader who preferred to remain anonymous. “We send cacti out to die, we boycott businesses that have names extremists don’t agree with, and we tolerate death threats and intimidation tactics towards businesses whose owners happen to have a conservative point of view.”

Successful business owners in the Tucson metropolitan area know that in order to have any hope of survival they must keep their views to themselves. This applies to those hoping to do business in the area as well. Business hopefuls are warned to go along to get along should they want the permitting process to go smoothly.

The “enlightened” few, mainly made up of outspoken self-pontificating racist minorities, are now demonstrating the future of democracy in Amerika by mob rule.
This should be an alarming lesson to anyone paying attention. This goes well beyond partisan politics, this is nothing short of ideological warfare by economic sabotage.
Christians and the church will be next. Those communicating threats should be hunted down by the police and jailed.
The left knows no bounds when it demonstrates its resolve and hatred of the President. This latest action resembles the backlash we saw during Trumps Tucson rally when the owner of Sammy’s in Catalina attended the rally and her livelihood was also attacked.
Anytime these clowns consider calling themselves an American it’s a miscarriage of the word and bold-faced lie.
I believe the word coward best describes these worthless partisan punks.

This is the beginning of the persecution – the ‘brown shirts of Nazism, new name pf Liberalism have arrived’ they may as well have placed Jewish Stars on this business ‘Juden’ labeled as ‘the Jewish problem’ lets destroy their business, take their lives away.. not far off the pathway and course. I’ve not armed myself in many years, decades – that will change quite soon… not for want but for need. Those of this ilk will not meet a easy or willing mark when they come for me.

The Fascist Progressives strike again. Just carrying on with an old Family Tradition.
Would like to hear from the posters who say that this site has nothing but haters on it.
Go ahead and see if you can justify this action.

Looks like UA, funded by tax dollars, is fueling the hate and actively promoting “Resistance and Revolution” as a Humanities Festival against the United States of America sponsored by the Arizona Daily Star.

The Mayor only goes after those citizens and local business owners that the Grijalva’s tell him to. It is no wonder why these business owners were not provided any help. Most millennials I know are planning rapid departure from this poor, opportunity-less, graft-filled town. Shame on Rothschild and the Machine.

First rule of business: the customer is always right. Most businesses don’t wear their politics on their sleeves so they can attract the most customers. Threats and intimidation, actual and implied, however, are just wrong — whether from anonymous Cup antagonists, or anonymous posters on this news site. Freedom of speech is precious — if you can shut me up today then tomorrow I might be able to shut you up. We all lose.

Like this post — you can choose to read it or not.

I’ll make What Again happy by quoting an old communist, Mao Tse-Tung: “Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a thousand schools of thought develop.” Unfortunately they did not practice what they preached. Let’s not follow that example — there’s room for all kinds of contending points of view in America, but let’s lose the hate speech. It diminishes our democracy.

Interesting that you would choose a mass murderer as an example. The parallel to today’s liberals, i.e. ‘progressives’ and many known as communists, is very close.

Mao Tse Tung – “Conversely, his autocratic totalitarian regime has been vastly condemned for overseeing mass repressions and destruction of religious and cultural artifacts and sites, which through arbitrary executions, purges and forced labor caused an estimated 40 to 70 million deaths, which would rank his tenure as the top incidence of excess mortality in human history.[7][8]”

It is true that when a business states their political belief’s on social media that you will reap the positive or negative harvest. In Tucson you can’t say you Love President Trump, but you can have a coffee joint that caters to Che and other communist hero’s and survive. Instead of actively protesting I can choose not to drink coffee with Communists. I can and have chose not to watch the NFL, or any thing on TV. I know that my choice may not affect change, but I don’t have the time to mount protests. Maybe if my welfare was paid by others I might have the time, but not the desire. What this event says to me is that the leftists do not want any other idea that is contrary to theirs to have a voice. That is fascism at it’s best.

Hate speech defined by whom? The left as they have here with CUP IT UP? They want ‘S—‘ Game on MF. There is ZERO Excuse for this.. BTW – if they want to vote their politic and not buy from this business and the result is the business closes – NO PROBLEM – happens all the time : that’s a decision the owner makes. But closing on immediate basis because of fear put on the staff and owners from the intimidation tactics used by the Leftist Nazi SOB’s – NYET!

So let me get this straight, Zaira Livier comes to America by lying about her nationality, stays to enjoy the benefits of America, then engages in working to destroy the very things that make America a nation where she wants to stay, but she wants to make it more like where she came from? The convoluted logic of the anarchists is tough to follow.

So where is Chief of Police Magnus? I thought Tucson was a place where hate crimes would not be tolerated? We are witnessing what Aristotle called the difference between polity and democracy, polity (republic) is majority lead for the true common good. He calls democracy a perversion where the majority lead for personal self-interest.

So what is Livier leading her followers to, true common good? I think not since a business was lost, jobs were lost and once again the reputation of Tucson is tarnished. Communisim doesn’t win, it just shares misery.

This is disgusting and this woman should not be allowed to get away with this shit. So what they back Trump. Fucking pieces of shit Antifa’s… Too bad Cup it up caved in. How does law enforcement not step in when death threats have been made? SMH Tucson, AZ, shame on you for allowing this bullshit to continue

“We did not have the rule of law in Guatamala, we didn’t have equal justice under the law and it was whoever has the biggest guns, or the biggest truck, or the most amount of money, or the most influence with people in high places that rule and I am so sad to see that our country is going down that way too.”

Pat Sexton said the quote about Guatemala not Livier.
I lean left but this is unreasonable. Death threats over a post about basically being a conservative? If someone wants to try and sway their personal beliefs have a conversation not a bullying session. And death threats to anyone for any reason is ridiculous, dangerous, and they should be charged. We’ve all lost our minds, even on this thread. The wild exaggerations about people’s differing beliefs have got to stop on both sides. We generally want the same things people, stop the name calling! Let’s work together before we are the demise of each other.

No one gave them death threats. They lied out right about it. Just their fearless leader, lies lies lies. The reality is is their partner sued to get out. The reality is their partner was the one who created all the dishes, the reality is their partner shut them down because he did not want to be associated with Nazi’s. Give it up

This is complete bullshit and this women should still be thrown out of our country, yes thats what I said bitch, OUR COUNTRY as in NOT YOURS, that dame as you people always say Not my president, well this is not your country. Something needs to get done. We seem to have a bunch of spineless Republicans that are suppose to be working for the right side but are just sitting on their hands and ass’s doing nothing and letting all these monsters from the left do as they please in our country and I’m starting to think it’s on purpose. Seems like some want a civil war and if something isnt done soon to stop ANTIFA and all the rest of these no good heathens from fucking up our country their going to get one because the RIGHT SIDE have had enough and were going to start kicking ass. I dare this bitch to come to Ca and try your shit but no, you’ll stay right there in Tucsons broke little town and act like you have some kind of power. Be careful women, it’s a big empty land out there.

A RESPONSE TO THIS TOPIC ..
FROM BRUCE ASH
So sad to see what leftists have done to our home town
my response What I BELIEVE …
Too bad nobody threatens to Kneecap The Leftists.
WHERE ARE REPUBLICAN PARTY CANDIDATES TO CREATE CHANGE BRUCE ASH ?,?

It really doesn’t matter whether you’re a “leftie” or “rightie”, it’s just plain stupid to mix politics with your business if you want your business to thrive. These knuckleheads literally told people not to dine at their establishment if they didn’t agree with their politics. That’s just plain bad business. “Snowflake” money is just as green as everyone else’s and from all indications, it seems that this restaurant had a fair amount of snowflake business who actually enjoyed their food. This should be taught as a case study in every business college of how to commit business suicide by social media

I agree with you, and it is evident that those of who are tired of leftist propaganda are impacting the NFL, Hollywood, and the MSM, according to lower than ever ratings, sales, and subscriptions. The results were also evident with this last Presidential Election. Communism, Socialism, Progressivism, and Leftist Fascism were rejected.

No one says it is wrong to boycott a business if you disagree with the owner`s politics but harassing and threatening phone calls are something else entirely. These are crimes which MUST be dealt with by the City.

Is there nothing that we the people of Tucson, AZ, can do to induce Cup It Up to reopen and go there in droves to support their free enterprise? If not for this article, I wouldn’t have known about it and I’m sad to see another business go under, especially from harassment by an illegal hypocrite’s threats. This is the USA and we don’t tolerate such vile behavior!

And that michaelp is you’re right – but threats of endangerment to the staff and owners – till the close with threats to the staff forcing them to quit – should be punishable by a long jail sentence with their new BFF Bubba..

It’s a shame that we live in a country where we have freedom of choice, freedom of speech yet we have those who feel that we shouldn’t. This is also the land of opportunity and yet we can’t support those small businesses simply because they shouldnt have a right to their opinions or views. What a shame! Just wait when everyone starts losing those rights! We are slowly becoming a third world country!

Just for having a conservative point of view is not the same thing as supporting Trump and his hateful rhetoric. If you want to see who i.e. dividing this country look no further than the White House. You can also blame the rabid anti-Obama sentiment. The man was to the right of Eisenhower, but you fools are right off a cliff. Plus this business served overpriced salad in a cup. Not really the most resilient of business plans. Mob rule? Are you kidding me? The market has spoken. Adios Cup It Up! Take your hate food elsewhere.

Modern Kristallnacht by the hand of the American left is on it’s way with Antifa and BLM as the tool of enforcement(modern day brownshirts)funded by the American hating George Soros. This time the “undesirables” will be conservatives and Christians. If a person does a proper study he will find that the NAZIs of the 1930s are of the same ilk as the “Progressives” of this day and very willing to use the same methods to shut up any opposition the their desires and drive to socialism. Calling the NAZIs right wing is a great disservice to the truth, they were the NATIONAL SOCIALIST PARTY and socialism is a left wing philosophy.

Livier claims “You know, I really do wish I had the kind of power that could shut down businesses at my will but I don’t. I only shared the post from Cup it Up just as the owners asked and suddenly I’m wholly responsible for them closing down.” LIVIER take responsibility for your actions! There is such a thing as adult bullying! Many bully on line, verbally and through billboards! You are no better than Donald Trump! We are in America! Unfortunately, some people have their rights violated when they are not allowed to express their views and opinions! He should have the right to express himself just like you do! Stop the bullying Zaire Olivier Trump!!!

I Love it. Every Conservative comment on here is in violation of the very things they claim to love. Hippocrates as usual. I don’t have to respect our flag. I don’t have to respect our military. I don’t have to respect our garbage president. I won’t stand for the flag and my children don’t pledge allegiance. I have the right to all of this. suck it up, read your constitution and get ready for 4 years of complete and total disrespect for your president. While all you idiots treat politics like a football game, choosing a side and hating the “other team” your elected officials are raping and pillaging our country and your rights. They are counting on your ignorance. It’s their life blood. so keep it up. karma’s got a wonderful sense of humor.

I totally agree with your last sentence: “your elected officials are raping and pillaging our country and your rights. They are counting on your ignorance. It’s their life blood”.
And that’s just the democrats!…..

I am continually amazed, but no longer surprised, at the extent that people will go to suppress freedom of speech. This is especially true of people who are not citizens of this country and whose freedom of speech is no grated under our constitution. They come here illegally and then tell us what’s wrong with us. I suggest the go back to their place of citizen ship and voice their opinion’s where they have the right.

Two days in a row now we’ve had that ignorant idiotic immigrant on our news page. The sooner we stop giving attention,to this ignorance, spewing from that orifice she calls a mouth, the faster everybody can get on living peacefully together

This played out like it should have in a democratic republic that champions free speech. The restaurant financiers expressed their political opinions in a public forum. They are free to do this and now they are dealing with consequences associated with their behavior. Similarly, Kaepernick is dealing with the same. Anyway, this pretty much is the story of a failed business venture that committed suicide for whatever reason. The owning partners are now playing the victim card but who knows? At the same time, the partnering chef is distancing from them and layering up so this could be interesting.

The First Amendment protects the Freedom of Speech and is meant to allow all kinds of political views, even the views that we “hate.” The people at this restaurant had the right to support whomever they wanted, and just because the liberal faction in this town doesn’t approve (and I am one) does not mean the people at this restaurant should have been harassed. Whatever happened to tolerance? We need to grow up.

The First Amendment protects the Freedom of Speech and is meant to allow all kinds of political views, even the views that we “hate.” The people at this restaurant had the right to support whomever they wanted, and just because the liberal faction in this town doesn’t approve (and I am one) does not mean the people at this restaurant should have been harassed. Whatever happened to tolerance? We need to grow up.

I never would of shut my doors. Because some stupid liberals start harassing them ? First I would of had their tails reported for making the calls and threats. It’s against the law. Second these little punks I’m sure never spent a penny in that restaraunt. WHO CARES HOW BUTT HURT THEY WERE! Cry a Damn river. These people have every right to voice their support for Trump. THEY NEVER SHOULD HAVE CLOSED THEIR DOORS! This same carp happened to the shop in catalina and they got an ovrewhelming amount of support! Sold out of food. and continued as normal with business. These people backed down way to fast. Ridiculous. These little liberal punks and yes I hope you READ this! will never threaten anyone else in Tucson. I’m a proud trump supporter. I’d like to see this so called group actually show their faces and brag. pathetic cowards!

When we say you’re ignorant, stupid, dumb, or idiots, it’s not because we’re making fun of you. It’s not an insult contest, we’re not looking for your clever snowflake or libtards remark. We’re being completely blunt, straightforward, and honest. We’re not trying to debate you, that fails every time because you’re ignorant, stupid, and idiotic, we’re trying to tell you the truth. You need to get your head out of your ass. Read something other than the sports page, a facebook link, or the turner diaries.

We have wasted far too much energy and time trying to coddle you and pander to your infantile “me first, my way, i,i,I, me, me, me” bullshit. We’re tired of trying to put 2 and 2 together for you to show you it’s not 5, 7, or 9. We’re tired of hearing and reading your tween intellect level rants about things it’s obvious you know nothing about in the first or second sentence.

You seem to firmly believe you’re lied to by everyone, so we’re being blunt. You may have a college degree, a cozy job, and a new buick, but that doesn’t make you smart, rational, or mean you understand things beyond your fill in the blanks paperwork in your cubicle, or the steamshovel you operate. Your almost instantaneous willingness to cling to the most over simplified and rudimentary answers and solutions is painful. Your unwillingness to see the world outside of your own life, in which you walk around with horse blinders on and ignore the rest of reality only digs you farther into this hole. The fact that you are now so deep and so far gone has left us with only one option.

We can no longer hold your hand or baby you, hope that one more explanation will work, or try to show you the light. We’ve given you rope after rope, built you ladders, installed an elevator, and yet you refuse to open your eyes to the fact that you just keep pushing them aside and digging deeper.

So yes, the coddling is over. All we can do now is tell you, flat out, you are dumb. You’re an idiot, ignorant, stupid, etc…

Why? Because you callously and arrogantly have fucked yourselves, along with the rest of the world because you choose to remain ignorant and fear reality.

to those know it all leftists – what you don’t seem to get is ‘perhaps Trump’ is a dolt, but he’s still lights years ahead of the criminal left’s Clinton – he didn’t win because he was so great – Clinton was just so dismally poor and corrupted. What will Trump usher in – I’m sure a great America – it’s already happening – what else will he usher in; that’s the unknown question we, or at least I am asking myself and watching for. His efforts in the middle east for Peace in Israel, the two nation solution is almost a done deal! Where’s the reporting of this monumental effort that is now underway and has been since March. Nothing being said ; why? The PA has made peace with it’s enemy faction with the assistance of Egypt – wow! Turkey is gone with IRAN – WOW! NATO has a lost flank – WOW! The prophecy’s of this have been written for thousands of years – what are we watching. You have no idea.

Tucson Meet Yourself! Be proud to be nationally recognized as a Center of Resistance, a Capitol of Liberal Hate and Intolerance. Stand against your President, Tucson. Stand against capitalism, Tucson. Resist! OCCUPY!!!!!!

Arizona restaurant forced to close after owners’ pro-Trump Facebook post

Poor Jim Griffth has to watch his festival turned into this communist fiasco. What is now known as Tucson Meet Yourself, used to be an educational, fun event years ago; today, not so much. Even the food is suspect. I’m glad I knew the festival then.